This invention relates to a novel communication robot that can communicate with a human through sound generation and head or arm movement.
Recently, a number of robots have been developed. These robots are classified as work robots and pet robots. The work robot deals with work in place of the human in dangerous or worse environments, or carries out routine jobs in place of the human. The pet robot, recently drawing especial attentions, is a robot to be raised in place of an animal by the human. The pet robot can be tamed for the human depending upon how the human has raised (dealt with) and get a particular character (nature).
In any of the conventional robots, however, no emphasis has been placed on the communications with the human. The pet robot, certainly, is designed in advance to react with the actions by the human. However, such a robot, merely xe2x80x9creactingxe2x80x9d with the human, cannot have communications with the human. The work robot apparently is not intended for communication with the human.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel communication robot capable of enhancing intimacy with the human through communications with the human.
A communication robot according to the present invention comprises: a truck; a body provided on the truck; a movable arm attached on the body through the shoulder joint; a head attached on the body through a neck joint; a speaker; and first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to the speaker such that first sound is generated through the speaker to request for the human to make a certain action.
For example, a first sound signal is provided by the first sound signal providing means to generate a voice xe2x80x9cLook thisxe2x80x9d through the speaker when the communication robot request the human to look at an object. For example, a first sound signal is provided by the first sound signal providing means to generate a voice xe2x80x9cKiss mexe2x80x9d through the speaker when the communication robot presses the human to kiss. For example, a first sound signal is provided by the first sound signal providing means to generate a voice xe2x80x9cHug me in the armsxe2x80x9d through the speaker when the communication robot presses the human to hug it in the arms. Accordingly, the communication robot can call the human through a voice to request a certain action to be made for the communication robot.
In one aspect of the invention, the communication robot further comprises first arm moving means for controlling the shoulder joint to move the movable arm in relation to generation of the request sound such that a movement of the movable arm supplements the first sound.
Similarly, for example, when the communication robot presses the human to hug it in the arms, a sound xe2x80x9cHug mexe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker and the movable arm is stretched toward the human. Accordingly, the human is easily known that the communication robot requests the human to hug it in the arms.
In a preferred embodiment, the communication robot further comprises second arm moving means for controlling the shoulder joint to move the movable arm in a manner cooperating with the human when the human makes the action. Accordingly, when the communication robot requests the human to hug, the arm stretched toward the human is bent to hug the human in the arm. That is, the communication robot bends the arm to thereby cooperate with the human and assist the action thereof.
In another aspect of the invention, the communication robot further comprises head moving means for controlling the neck joint to move the head in relation to generation of the first sound such that a movement of the head supplements the request sound.
In this aspect, when the communication robot requests the human to look at an object for example, a voice xe2x80x9cLook thisxe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker and the head moves to point the object. Accordingly, the human can easily find what the communication robot requests to look at. Consequently, the human can correctly respond to the request through the first sound of the communication robot.
Similarly, for example, when the communication robot presses the human to kiss, a sound xe2x80x9cKiss mexe2x80x9d is generated and the head is moved obliquely upward. Accordingly, the human is readily known that the communication robot is requesting the human to kiss.
In still another aspect of the invention, the communication robot further comprises second sound signal providing means for providing a second sound signal to the speaker to generate second sound through the speaker after the human have made the action responsive to the request sound.
For example, when the communication robot presses the human to kiss, a voice xe2x80x9cHooray!xe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker when the human goes to the near of the communication robot. Accordingly, the human can feel that the action made for the communication robot by the human makes the communication robot happy.
For example, when the communication robot presses the human to hug, a voice xe2x80x9cLove mostxe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker when the human goes to the near of the communication robot.
The communication robot further comprises a touch sensor provided on the truck, wherein the second sound signal providing means provides the second sound signal to the speaker when the touch sensor is on. According to this embodiment, when the communication robot presses the human to kiss, an imitation sound xe2x80x9cChuxe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker when the human goes to the near of the communication robot.
The communication robot further comprises: an eye camera provided in the head; position detecting means for detecting a position of a skin-colored part on the basis of an image from the eye camera; and eye camera displacing means for moving the eye camera such that the eye camera is aligned to the position of the skin-colored part. According to this embodiment, when the human face (skin-colored portion) is detected by the eye camera, the human face is caught in the center of the camera. That is, the eye camera tracks the human face so that eye contact can be made between the robot and the human.
Where the body of the communication robot includes a lower body and an upper body and further comprises elevation means for elevating the upper body and height detecting means for detecting a height of the human, the upper body is raised and lowered by the elevation means to make equal the height of the robot to the height of the human. This, accordingly, further smoothen the communication between the robot and the human.
A communication robot according to the present invention comprises: a truck; a body provided on the truck; a movable arm attached on the body through a shoulder joint; a head attached on the body through a neck joint; an eye camera provided in the head; color detecting means for detecting a particular color on the basis of an image from the eye camera; position detecting means for detecting a position of the particular color on the basis of the image from the the camera; and moving means for moving the truck to a position of the particular color.
For example, when the human once goes near the communication robot, a dress color of the human is detected by the color detecting means. When the human goes away, the position detecting means detects a position of the human dress color from among the images of the eye camera. The moving means causes the truck, or communication robot, to a position the human exists.
In one aspect of the invention, the communication robot further comprises sound signal providing means for providing a sound signal to the speaker to generate through the speaker a sound requesting for the human to make a certain action.
Similarly, the communication robot comes near the human once communicated with, and a voice xe2x80x9cLove mostxe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker. Accordingly, the human is readily known that the communication robot has a friendly feeling to that human.
In a preferred embodiment, the communication robot further comprises arm moving means for controlling the shoulder joint to move the movable arm in relation to a generation of the request sound such that a movement of the movable arm supplements the sound. Accordingly, when the communication robot comes near the human and generates a voice xe2x80x9cLove mostxe2x80x9d through the speaker, the movable arm is spread toward the human. That is, the communication robot can clearly visually convey a friendly feeling to the human by spreading the movable arm.
A communication robot according to the invention comprises: a truck; a body provided on the truck; a movable arm attached on the body through a shoulder joint; a head attached on the body through a neck joint; a touch sensor provided on the shoulder joint and the movable arm; and head moving means for moving a head toward a direction that the touch sensor in an on-state exists by controlling the neck joint.
Incidentally, the communication robot further comprises coordinate calculating means for calculating a three-dimensional coordinate having the touch sensor in an on-state, wherein the head moving means controllers the neck joint such that the head is directed toward a direction of the three-dimensional coordinate calculated by the coordinated calculating means.
For example, if the human touches the shoulder of the communication robot, the communication robot directs its head toward the shoulder the human has contacted. Accordingly, the human can easily understand that the communication robot understand the contact at the shoulder, i.e. skin-ship being conveyed.
A communication robot according to the invention comprises: a truck; a body provided on the truck; a movable arm attached on the body through a shoulder joint; a head attached on the body through a neck joint; a speaker; communication means for exchanging data with another communication robot; and sound signal providing means for providing a sound signal to the speaker to generate a sound informing a human of communication made by the communication means through the speaker.
For example, where the communication robot exchanges data with another robot, a voice xe2x80x9cHello!xe2x80x9d is generated through the speaker of one communication robot in data transmission. Accordingly, the human is known that the one communication robot is in communication with the other communication robot.
In a preferred embodiment, the communication robot further comprises head moving means for controlling the neck joint to move the head in relation to a generation of the sound such that the movement of the head supplements the sound. Accordingly, when the communication robot transmits data to another communication robot and generates a voice xe2x80x9cHello!xe2x80x9d, it makes a greeting with the head directed down. That is, the communication robot can easily convey to the human that it is communicating with another communication robot.
The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.